Summer is over

 The summer passed so quickly and now it is time to go back to class.  It was a great summer for me I hope you had a good time too.  The next class starts on Wednesday Sept 4 from 10 to 12.  We will be working with Photoshop Elements and preparing our chosen photos for inclusion in a quilt.

 I will be teaching several ways to use photos both as the central focus and as a pattern for an original art quilt.  Start browsing your photos for the ones you want to work with.

 Look for photos that tell a story.

 Or create the story with your photos.  If you want to use old photos get them scanned into your computer and I will show you how to clean, and fix them before you print.  This is such a fun class and there are so many ways to use the photos.

I'm looking forward to seeing you again and welcome new students to our Wednesday gathering.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to me!  Another year rolled by, actually it was going very fast and it still is.
July 24th, the very day of my birthday friends got together and celebrated my birthday at Myrna Elliott's wonderful home.  Thank you to all who came it was so lovely to see so many and to see what wonderful creations you have been making.

The summer will soon be over and we will be back to class.  The first classes start Sept 4th and we will work on Photoshop Elements and quilts again for four weeks.  We will also go through how to use a photo as a pattern for an original quilt pattern.  I know this class has been given before (several times) but many still requested it.  Then in October we will paint and dye fabrics again.  

I am teaching at Long Beach next week so my mind is full of that.  I will post supply list and such for classes after that is over and things have settled down again.

Marbled and Done

 I finally finished something using the marbled fabric I have accumulated.  The marbling was so mu;ch fun I just couldn't stop, but doing something with it was another matter.  I have to donate a small quilt for the silent auction in Houston so this will be my contribution.  It is called "Hide  and  Seek".  Not a ton of work, but a fun concept and it turned out ok.

This is marbling over silk painting and is all hand stitched.  I put it onto canvas and on stretcher bars.  (you can't tell by the photo)  It is a favorite.  I have mostly been painting this summer.  That is when I am at home and not traveling back and forth to one or another of my kid's homes.
I am getting obsessed about painting and will need to get over it and get ready for the fall classes.  I have ideas that need to be tried and see if they work.

Long Beach Quilt Festival

The Long Beach Quilt Festival will be held at the Long Beach Convention Center August 1to 4.  I will be teaching 7 times.  Some classes, some demonstrations and a new thing "Create on the Spot"

 This represents a class Friday Forum where I will participate in a "Round-Robin" format.  I will talk about how to use your photos to create original quilts.

 My old standby "Microwave dyeing for Cotton will be on Friday Aug 2

 Twist and Shout,  Microwave dyeing Silk will be on Thursday Aug 1

 These Hanah Silk Ribbon Poppies will be featured at "Create on the Spot on Saturday at 11 am

 Scrappy Cloth will be a class on Thursday  Aug 1.  We will make small purses with wonderful tassels included in the kits.

The other "Create on the Spot" class are Hanah silk velvet roses.  It isn't easy to find something that can be done in less than 1 hour, but these roses fit the bill.  Brooke has sent wonderful kits worth double what the class costs.  She has been so generous.   There is one more class, but the photo isn't here.
It is painted silk roses.  on Friday Aug 2.
I hoe I see some of you there.  If not in a class at least wandering the floor.

Abstract Art?

I went to a weekend Acrylic Painting workshop in San Clemente.  I kept seeing things in the painting and they became more representational than abstract.  I did paint very loose so that was fun.  We were also painting much larger than when I do watercolors.

 The painting looked like a vase, so what do you put into a vase?  Flowers of course.  I did paint it quickly with a palette knife so that helped.

Abstract, at last.  Using colors that are not my usual color range helped me get a more abstract feeling in the painting.  The instructor said this was good so I am satisfied.  I want to do more of this big painting, but have been babysitting and haven't time for awhile.  Maybe next week I can get the paints out again. I will have to buy more canvas.

Gallery Show

I was recently in a gallery show in Ontario.  It was a painting show so I 

entered silk painting. 

I have been traveling back and forth between children this summer plus taking watercolor painting.

More Marbling

I recently returned from Santa Barbara where I taught marbling yet again.  This time there was a twist.

Look down at the third photo.  It is the silk necktie transfer technique.  Some of the ladies ties didn't transfer well so one of the ladies marbled over her scarf.  WOW! what a difference with layer over layer of design.

 This is one layer of marbling on a white silk

 These were silk tie transfer scarves that were then marbled over the top.  Look at the effects.  The one on the left looks like wonderful patterned stones.

 silk tie transfer on white silk scarves.  These turned out really well and were not over marbled.

 The fabric on the left is marbled over a pre-printed design.  It is really stunning.  The middle is over a lightly  pre-dyed fabric.  The one on the right is over rusted fabric.  Very organic and woodsy looking.

One students results of two sessions of marbling and over marbling fabrics.  Really fun.